OneUpManship
by Kate28
Summary: CJ/Danny A practical joke has a romantic outcome


Title: One-up-manship

Summary:  A practical joke has a romantic outcome

Pairing: CJ/Danny

Author: Kate 

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Vague reference to Holy Night and Commencement

Archive: Just let me know

Disclaimer:  Not mine just having fun  

Feedback: Is always appreciated

Note: Thanks Angie for crossing over again!

 "Don't you have a bed to sleep in?"  CJ asked as she walked into her office and found Danny asleep on her couch – again.

"Yeah, but I'm too tired to remember how to get to my apartment."  He grinned at her, safe in the knowledge she wouldn't kick him out of her office.

"So  - what would it take to get you to give up the Shareef story?" CJ asked bluntly.

Danny looked at her.  There was no way he was going to give up on the Shareef story, but it didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun with her.

"Well?"

"I'm considering what you might have to offer." Danny told her seriously.  CJ knew it was unlikely he would drop the story but if his demands were reasonable she thought they should consider it.

"Danny come on - this offer has an expiration date."

"Okay," he said slowly.  "Marry me"

"What?"  CJ spluttered, as she tried to swallow the coffee she had been drinking.  "I mean…..WHAT!"

"You heard me – marry me and I'll drop the story."  Danny knew it was never going to happen, but the reaction she had given him had been worth the bold suggestion.

CJ sat there just staring at Danny, contemplating what he had just said.  She knew it was his idea of revenge for that little stunt she had pulled in the office a few weeks ago, the question was whether she should laugh it off or call his bluff.  She took another look at his self-satisfied grin and made her decision.

"Okay."

Danny's head snapped up to look her directly in the eye.  "W…..w……w…..what?"

"You heard me – if you drop the story I'll marry you."

"Right – okay then – I guess we're getting married – I'll just leave now."

CJ laughed as soon as Danny left her office.  She knew he'd be back later to call the whole thing off, but it could be fun watching him stew for the rest of the day.

Danny sat at his desk wondering what the hell had happened. He'd gone into CJ's office to catch up on a bit of sleep and had come out engaged to her – how the hell had that happened?

As the fog in his brain began to clear, he realised she had called his bluff.  Danny knew she would be sitting in her office laughing at him – well, he thought, two could play at that game and he set off in search of Josh.

"Claudia Jean! Congratulations!"  Josh bounded into her office.  "I've sent Donna out to get cake so we can have a bit of a celebration.  I can't believe it, finally, after all this time – you and Danny – wow."

"Me and Danny what?"  CJ asked clearly confused. She was trying to read about the new trade bill and really didn't have time to try and decipher what the hell Josh was talking about.

"You and Danny getting married – he just told me – I'm so happy for you both."  Josh seemed to be genuinely excited by this.

CJ didn't know whether to give in to the laughter or work with the rage that was building towards Danny Concannon.  Danny had got the better of her but did she concede defeat and tell Josh the truth, or should she mess with Danny some more?  Messing won.

"Josh, this is all still so new and I really wanted to keep it under wraps for a bit so. . …no cake, okay?  I didn't want to say anything until we picked up the ring – wait till you see it – it's huge!"

CJ grinned as Josh left her office, safe in the knowledge that Josh would go straight to Danny to tell him he was setting a bad example to all the other men of the West Wing by buying CJ a massive diamond engagement ring.

"Game, set and match to me, I think." CJ laughed as she put her feet on her desk and continued reading – there was no way Danny would carry this any further.

CJ arrived at work early the next morning and noticed a small box sitting on her desk.  It looked like a ring box but surely Danny wouldn't carry a joke this far.  She sat down, still staring at the box, not daring to touch it.  Eventually her curiosity got the better of her.

She carefully lifted the lid and gasped when she saw what was inside.  If ever she were to seriously consider getting engaged this was exactly the ring she would want.  It had to be at least two carats and would look perfect on her long slender finger.

It was early – no-one was around – no-one would know if she tried it on – just to see what it looked like.  She removed the ring from its box and slipped it on her finger.  It was a snug fit but she had been right. It looked perfect sitting on her finger and, for a moment, she dreamed about leaving it there.  She did have strong feelings for Danny and maybe if things had been different she might have been wearing this ring for real.

"So you like it, darling?"  Danny asked a little too solicitously and with a little too much mischief in his eyes. CJ hadn't noticed him standing there.

She was about to make a smart reply when she caught Carol, Bonnie and Ginger out of the corner of her eye and decided she should make Danny squirm a little bit more.

She pasted a huge grin on her face and launched herself into Danny's arms, "I love it! And to offer to buy me the matching earrings – you are too generous!"

Danny wasn't quite sure what to make of CJ' s reaction until he heard the other three women enter the office and ask to see the ring.  CJ was flashing it as though they were truly engaged – Danny was beginning to think she was taking this seriously until he caught the one raised eyebrow aimed directly at him.

Danny decided on a tactical retreat to decide what his next move would be, but he needed to make a spectacular exit.  He grabbed CJ's hand and spun her until she was pressed up against his body and then he slowly tipped his head and began to kiss her.  They had shared kisses in the past but this one was something else and, as he felt CJ responding to the gentle pressure of his lips on hers, he began to think being married to CJ might not be such a bad idea after all.

Danny pulled away first and left a dazed CJ staring after him, with her fingers pressed gently to her kiss swollen lips.

"Wow!" Said Ginger," I wish someone would kiss me like that."

 ***

CJ was still sitting behind her desk with a dazed look on her face ten minutes later when Carol told her she had a briefing.  

Chris immediately picked up on the fact that she had a ring sitting on her engagement finger. After the kiss she and Danny had shared, she had completely forgotten it was even there.

"So, CJ, is that an engagement ring on your left hand?"  Chris asked before CJ even had a chance to begin.

All eyes in the briefing room immediately went to her hand.

"Um – guys don't get excited. I forgot I was trying it on – I'm pretty sure it's a fake."

"CJ, that's an original Harry Winston diamond you're sporting there."  Katie told her.

CJ's eyes immediately sought out Danny who was sitting there with a smug expression on his face.  Every pair of eyes in the room followed hers.  This was probably going to be a tactical error but she would wipe that look off Danny's face once and for all.

CJ looked at the ring on her finger – it was beautiful.  "Well then, they pay you guys too much because the ring came from Danny."

The look of pure horror on Danny's face was worth all the backtracking and explaining she would have to do to rectify this situation.  She had to give him credit - he tried to recover quickly and accepted the presses' congratulations with good grace.

After CJ finished the briefing, she tried to sneak quietly back to her office.  She managed three steps before she heard Leo bellow, "CJ, GET IN MY OFFICE NOW!"

Shit, she thought to herself – this had really gone too far.  She never should have told the press corps the ring was from Danny.  How the hell could she explain to Leo that it was all a practical joke that had been taken too far?

She was about to start explaining herself when Danny arrived at Leo's door.

"Leo, before you start yelling at CJ, I think you should know that she has convinced me to drop the Shareef story, and if I hear that anyone in this administration is giving her grief about this marriage, it will be back on again."

CJ looked at Danny trying to figure out what kind of stunt this was, but he actually looked very sincere about what he had said.  

"Well then," Leo paused, "congratulations you two."

Danny took hold of CJ's hand and walked to her office. Once they were safely inside, he closed the door.

"How long are you planning to keep this up, Fish Boy?"

"Well I figured once our fourth child is off to college I would probably concede defeat."  He told her seriously.

"Fourth child!  You know I'm 42 right? I mean there's not enough time to have four kids . . .  wait!  Why the hell am I talking about kids with you? We are not getting married!"

"All evidence to the contrary; you are wearing the engagement ring I bought you and you have just announced our engagement to the world's media – I think it's pretty much carved in stone."

"Nothing is carved in stone – I can undo this – I just need to work out how." CJ began to pace.

"Do you really want to though?"  He looked at her intently and moved closer.  "I mean do you really, in your heart, want to stop this?"  He was close enough that she could feel his heart beating and see his lips getting closer and closer.  Memories of their last kiss flooded her senses and she leaned into him.  No she didn't want to, she loved this insane man – and had done for a very long time.

Their lips met. It began as a tender exploration but quickly deepened to something far more intense.

"No."  She sighed.

"No?  No what?"  He asked, wondering what the hell she was talking about. He was so shaken after that kiss, he couldn't have said his own name.

"No, I don't want to undo this."  His hands were moving in gentle circles at her back and she pressed herself closer to him.

"Really?"

"Really."  She smiled.  "No more games – I promise," she looked at the ring on her finger.  "Harry Winston?"

"What can I say, I have connections."  He was moving his hands up and down her arms.

"Those are some connections for a practical joke."  She laughed as she stroked his face with her hand.

"CJ, I bought the ring three years ago – the ring was no practical joke."

CJ stood there in shock, not knowing what to say to him.  Once she collected her thoughts she hit him on the arm.

"Ow!  What was that for? I give you a Harry Winston diamond and you hit me!"

"If you'd given me the diamond three years ago, we might have been able to give those four kids a shot!"

The End


End file.
